Damian Thompson is Editor of Telegraph Blogs and a columnist for the Daily Telegraph. He was once described by The Church Times as a "blood-crazed ferret". He is on Twitter as HolySmoke. His latest book is The Fix: How addiction is taking over your world. He also writes about classical music for The Spectator.

Jade Goody could become a patron saint of cancer sufferers, suggests bishop

The late Jade Goody could become "a people's saint" at whose shrine cancer sufferers will pray to be healed, according to the independent bishop who blessed her marriage.

Will cancer sufferers pray to 'St Jade'?

The Most Rev Jonathan Blake, Primate of the Open Episciopal Church, prophesies on his blog that Jade's grave in Upshire, Essex, will become a place of pilgrimage. He writes:

Some have carped that Jade wasn't perfect. No one is. St Peregrine, the Patron Saint of those with cancer wasn't perfect. He was born in Italy around 1265, a hot headed political activist, who resorted to violence but then made good and became a faithful though eccentric Christian. Those who have prayed for his help have been helped.

I think that Jade's grave also will become a shrine and that many with cancer and other troubles will pray to her, as well as to St Peregrine, for help and be comforted.

Well, stranger things have happened. And the Mirror's description of this would-be Lourdes certainly makes it sound enticing:

"Jade Goody's final resting place looks over lush, rolling meadows. Her grave at St Thomas' Church, close to her home in Upshire, Essex, bears a wooden cross. A gold plaque reads: 'loving memory of Jade Goody.' The graveyard is entered through an iron archway, ringed by cherry blossom trees and daffodils."

Would Jade Goody become the first saint of the Open Episcopal Church? In theory, no: she was baptised just before she died into the Church of England. But there's nothing to stop Bishop Jonathan adopting her cause or – since he's effectively the head of his own denomination – canonising her. I don't think she'd mind, do you?